


Bored of Games

by klarolineagainnaturally



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV), The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Klaroline, Shameless Smut, Smut, tvd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:53:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26220691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klarolineagainnaturally/pseuds/klarolineagainnaturally
Summary: Prompt on Tumblr from accio-lo-ki:kc + enemies + everyone thinks we hate each other but we’re secretly hooking up/dating behind their backs
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 33
Kudos: 167





	1. I

“To be honest, Caroline, I wasn’t sure if I should invite you,” Rebekah’s uneasy confession made her still as she entered the mansion. The youngest Mikaelson stepped around her to shut the door. She was wearing a fluffy head wrap with pink bunny ears and a matching set of pyjamas. This was one of the few times she would be caught in anything that wasn’t designer: game night.

Growing up, they had all agreed over a pack of lukewarm beer that Mystic Falls was a dump and they would take any chance to get out. A few years on and Caroline was wasting away in an office job where the biggest prospect was the new coffee machine in the break room. When her mother fell ill, she moved back. She had every intention to return to the big city but the little charms of their hometown tugged at her. It took only two more years for the rest of them to find their way back. One by one. To save themselves from the humdrum of the Town Hall meetings, they began their weekly game nights. It was the perfect excuse to avoid those meetings  _ and _ get drunk on a Thursday.

“What? Why?” Caroline frowned, looking around at the entrance hall. She then watched as her friend slowly turned to face her, stifling a laugh at the now crooked, left bunny ear.

“You and my brother can’t even last one round without fighting,” Rebekah exclaimed, her eyes wide. She huffed softly when Caroline reached to straighten out her fluffy accessory.

“Come  _ on _ , Bekah,” Caroline groaned, “we’re just competitive.”

Rebekah slapped her hand away but the corner of her lips twitched in appreciation. “Hush, Caroline. Naivety does not suit you.” When she spotted her friend’s smirk straining behind her pressed lips, she pointed out, “You know as well as I do that you and Nik are just raring to wind each other up and quite frankly, we would all like to make it through the night without your little feud ruining things.”

“Look, we’re playing Dungeons and Dragons, right?” Caroline gestured out as she waited for Rebekah to nod. When she did, she explained, “And as far as I’m aware, we won’t be competing against each other so fighting is  _ totally _ not going to be an issue. Trust me.”

Rebekah twisted her lips, analysing Caroline, who was trying her best not to falter her innocent expression. “Alright,” she said with a set of narrowed eyes. Releasing a heavy sigh, she gestured a hand down the hallway.

Caroline could bat her lashes all she liked, but her friend wasn’t without a point. Klaus (Niklaus to family members), Rebekah’s older brother and the most adverse to their small town, was the final straggler to return to Mystic Falls. Caroline had been reluctant to include him in their game nights at first (two Mikaelsons were enough, thank you), but Rebekah was insistent that her grump of a brother needed some socialisation so she agreed.

The reason she was so reluctant, however, was that she and Klaus didn’t exactly make the best of friends. All throughout high school, he was a rude, arrogant jerk who was intent on pushing her buttons. They just couldn’t play nice even if their lives depended on it. The first time they had been left alone, they were insulting each other’s movie picks within minutes. Juvenile fights, really. But they quickly learned that becoming adults lent no reprieve to their feud. If anything, Rebekah should have known that the pair of them playing a game like Monopoly would have disastrous results.

They entered the drawing room, where Kol (Rebekah’s twin) had wasted god knows how much money on decorating the space to a more ‘medieval’ concept. The moment Dungeons and Dragons had even become a prospect, Kol called dibs on the Game Master and revealed his well-hidden collection of handbooks. He had placed the tallest and grandest of armchairs (a family heirloom if she remembered their mother’s diatribes correctly) at the head of the large coffee table. The crown atop his head and the bear-skin rug fashioned into a cape were a tacky, but expected, touch. Damon and Elena were sat to the left of him, engrossed in their own conversation, while Stefan sat opposite trying his best to not let his sad, puppy eyes linger on his ex-girlfriend and his brother for too long. If anyone was ruining their game nights, surely it was their little love triangle?!

Bonnie and Katherine, who were sitting next to Stefan, threw a wave and a smile her way the moment she entered. Bonnie, in her opinion, had been the most excited to take part in the roleplaying game - after Kol, of course. She wagered it was a mix of nerdy suppression throughout high school and her increased time spent with Kol (she and Katherine had a bet going on that). Katherine was definitely the most  _ over _ it, scanning her pre-made character sheet with disinterest; Kol had messaged each of them back and forth to make their characters with the exception of Katherine. He wouldn’t go there.

Rebekah took her place beside Katherine, having draped her pink dressing gown over the free space. Caroline frowned as she looked for a seat of her own. And as fate would have it, the only seat remaining was beside Klaus. Really, she thought, if Rebekah wanted to maintain the peace, this was an odd way of showing it. She reluctantly slumped onto the cushions and folded her arms, all too aware of Klaus’ eyes on her.

“Caroline,” his tongue rolled delicately as he greeted her.

She was prepared to deliver a swift ‘bite me’ but could see Rebekah keeping an eye on them. She cleared her throat and greeted, “Klaus.”

His smirk drove her mad and he knew exactly what he was doing when he rested an arm behind her. The thing was: as frustrating as he was, she was undeniably attracted to him. A fact they both knew. She sneaked a glance and his eyes lit up with excitement. Biting her lip, she brought her focus to the head of the table.

“Ah, I see all of our intrepid adventurers have arrived!” Kol began grandly, his arms flailing. The groans and snickers around the table didn’t deter him as he leaned in to set the scene. “We begin in a tavern as a young tiefling sets foot inside. Caroline would you introduce your character?”

Caroline straightened up abruptly, her lashes fluttering from a blank expression. Klaus was handing her the character sheet when she finally registered the task. She scrunched up her nose as she took it, the slapping of the paper making everyone aware of their interaction. With a heavy sigh, she began to read off the page, “My character’s name is Nahala. She’s a tiefling with lavender skin and white hair. Uh...she’s...wearing,” she pressed her lips to consider, “a black cloak over a corset and pants that are tucked into boots.”

“God, Blondie, did your character go shopping at Forever 10th Century before she hit the bar?” Damon groaned out, stretching his arms above his head.

  
“Did it take you all afternoon to think of that one, mate?” Klaus shot back before she could consider a rebuttal. “Bit weak for you, isn’t it?”

Caroline wasn’t shy in her smirk; if there was one thing she and Klaus agreed on, it was that Damon Salvatore was a mega-douche. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before their bickering had ignited over which plan was most suitable for their party.

She huffed and threw a sharp stare in his direction. “We’re doing it my way.” She brushed her hair behind her neck as she informed him carefully, “I’ll seduce the guard and that way he’ll be too distracted to see you guys climbing in through the window behind.”

Klaus’ eyes raked along her neck while he listened. “Surely, you can’t think that, sweetheart?” was his instant reply, dry amusement written across his face. “They’ll see right through your facade and lord knows one of these lot’ll make some noise!” He gestured to the rest of their party, who all took immediate offence.

“I have a plus six in Charisma!” Caroline argued loudly, flicking her wrists out. “You just want to go in smashing things like the  _ Barbarian _ you are but jobs like this require  _ finesse _ . I know that’s something you lack.”

“I can assure you I don’t lack anything,” Klaus said proudly and raised both eyebrows. He tilted his head her way, lowering his voice, “Want me to show you?”

Her eyes lingered on his, tempted to challenge him, but she rolled her eyes and bit in return, “No, thanks. What I want is for you to experience a slow and painful death—“

“For fuck’s sake can you two just pick a plan?!” Rebekah interrupted with a tired waver in her voice.

Caroline took in the scene of their impatience and Klaus’ ever-growing, shit-eating grin. She tossed her hair as she rose from the couch. Throwing a brittle smile at Klaus, she declared, “You know what? Do what you want. I need a drink.” She let her eyes fall on his twitching lips for a short moment, careful not to catch the attention of her friends, and took off into the hallway.

The Mikaelson mansion was a maze but it was one she had become adept at navigating in the last couple years especially. She took down the long stretch of hallway, taking a left and then a right into the outrageously large kitchen. She was purposeful in her movements, pulling open the cupboard door to bring out a glass. It was one of the few designed for something other than alcohol.

If there was one thing she had learned from growing up around the Mikaelsons, it was that rich people were the biggest  _ alcoholics _ but at that point, it was considered  _ classy _ .

Caroline filled her glass with the water sitting in a filter beside the sink. She drank it slowly, enjoying the cool liquid as it soothed her throat. She could feel his presence at the door frame and embraced the shiver of anticipation. As she set the glass down, the clinking noise ringing in the silence, his warm hands settled on her waist. She leaned back into him and sighed.

“A tiefling, sweetheart?” Klaus’ hushed words burned into her, his lips brushing against the curve of her ear. His fingers bunched up the fabric of her dress and he brought his mouth to the nape of her neck.

Yes, any game night would unravel into a battle of words. However, Caroline wasn’t sure at which point these games had turned into some weird and twisted foreplay.

Perhaps it had been their first Halloween game night. They had been arguing over the group’s cold reception to her prospective boyfriend at the time. She had brought Tyler along for a game of scrabble and Klaus thought himself to be in the joking mood that night, spelling out ‘twat’ and ‘wanker’ on the board. At one point, he asked his sister whether ‘has-been’ could be counted, throwing a pointed look at the former high school quarterback as Rebekah contemplated it. Kol putting forward an awkwardly timed ‘loser’ as his play only pushed things over the edge. Needless to say, Tyler left with a prompt ‘you’re cool, but your friends are fucking weird’.

So once everyone else had left for a bar, the war of words began between her and Klaus. It was one heated stare and a biting insult that had led to them tearing off the other’s clothes, placing kisses on sensitive skin and cursing out their frustrations. He had fucked her up against the front door and she had pleaded for sweet release with his lips attached to her chest. They had ended the tryst with a hurried adjustment of their clothes and a declaration that it was just a one time thing; they couldn’t stand each other, after all. But then he had challenged her during a game of Clue.  _ You’re too scrupulous to get away with anything, sweetheart.  _ It had left her dying to show him otherwise. And she had. She had cornered him in the bathroom and jerked him off, leaving him to wallow as she joined the others.

From then on, they took any chance to rile each other up, frequently ending up in risky situations. Her worst moment had been when their game night was cancelled for the sake of Elena’s sore break up with Stefan. She was left painting her nails to avoid the nagging thoughts but he had turned up at her door before she had even reached the pinky. They had become so unpredictable that she had gone back on the pill, a decision that proved to be well made. It was a wonder they had yet to be caught but their friends were still under the impression that they would rather die than be alone together.

Caroline let out a huff and followed up with a struggling, “I think I’d look pretty good with a set of horns.”

Klaus grinned against her skin, traveling his fingers around her. He grasped at the front of her dress and let his fingers dance on the space of her stomach. He hummed, poking his tongue against her neck. She bit her lip; he was always so precise and careful but she was growing impatient. His hand palmed at her lace panties and she gasped softly.

“I would love to see that,” he muttered, his bottom lip brushing against her skin. “Might I suggest the leather armour if you have not yet made the decision?”

“Kinky,” she replied drily, letting her eyes fall shut. “Have you been fantasising about it?”

“I don’t know.” Klaus’ breath skated across her pale skin while he teased the line of her panties. His teeth toyed with the strap of her sundress and bra, sliding one side over her shoulder. “Have you been a good girl?”

“Klaus…” she groaned, pressing her lips together. When she felt his fingers slip under panties the rough of his fingers brushing her clit, her eyes flew open. “Shit… What if they hear us?”

“Does that make you nervous, Caroline?” He let out a low chuckle, running his index finger down her slit. He teased her entrance and chuckled again when her body tensed. Bringing his lips to her ear, his words were hushed as he spoke, “Knowing anyone could walk in at any time, does it excite you?”

Caroline whimpered and bit out, “A little.”

He parted her folds, pouting and humming at the wet sensation. “Which question is that an answer to?”

Her hips bucked when she felt him brush her clit once more. She was begging to fall apart against his fingers, holding onto a loud whine. “Both.”

“Should I take you up against the counter, sweetheart?” His free hand dug into her waist, the fabric still bunched between his fingers, and he pushed her into the edge of the counter. Her body jolted when he thumbed her clit and his finger slipped into her. He hissed, the inside of his lip gracing her earlobe, “Make you beg for my cock inside of you?”

With a garbling whine, she replied, “Yes.”

Like that, he removed his fingers from her and brought them to his mouth. He sucked on them gently before taking her chin between them. His eyes darkened when her incredulous blue eyes met him. “Then beg.”

Caroline knew not to challenge him, knew his karma would come sooner rather than later. She turned her head towards him, trying her best to keep quiet as she spoke, “Klaus, please…” He kissed her roughly before allowing another beg and she glared reflexively. “I need you inside me…”

His index finger pulled down on her bottom lip and his eyes demanded her attention. “Why?”

She rolled her hips back into him gently, grinning when his jaw became set. With an innocent drawl, she declared, “I want you to make me come, Klaus.”

Her heart jumped as they heard distant noises. He growled, a thrilling sound to her waning patience, and held her still to listen out. It seemed that without them, the group had descended into their own argument. Figures, she thought but was soon left squeaking when Klaus gripped both sides of her waist. His hands dipped under her dress and his fingers hooked around the band of her panties. The rough lace brushed against her skin as he yanked them down her thighs. She repressed the urge to giggle but faltered for a second, earning a grumble from him. He paused—undoubtedly considering whether he had enough time to punish her—but rushed to undo his belt. His cock soon sprang out from under his layers of fabric, bumping against her. Caroline found herself tempted to reach behind but the moment she looked behind, he pressed into her back.

“Hands on the counter,” he demanded with a low rumble, kissing the space behind her ear. She clenched her jaw but obliged by outstretching her arms across the marble.

Klaus ran his hands from the edge of her panties until they bunched her dress up around her hips. His hot touch was something she found herself craving since the first time. He knew how to tease her until she was a single brush away from crumbling. His hands kneaded her buttocks, spreading them apart before lined himself up against her. He pushed into her slowly, his member slick as it made contact with her wet entrance. Taking her by the hips, he asked, “Is this what you wanted?”

Her mouth fell open and she whimpered out a tiny, “Uh-huh.” Her lips curled in a devilish thought. “My plan was still better,” she huffed.

Klaus growled and drove into her harder, an act that sparked a high-pitched moan from her. “Shh,” he was quick to hush her before chuckling, “I do love to hear you, sweetheart, but be a good girl for me, hm?” He took a palm to her breast, massaging her over the fabric, and brought his free fingers around until they met her pussy. She bit down on her lip as another moan begged at her throat. He grunted out, “God, you feel so good.”

Caroline’s eyes fluttered shut; she adored the emotions that came forth at the sound of his voice. The day he came back to Mystic Falls should have tipped her off to their trajectory. As tumultuous as their relationship had been, she enjoyed his company unlike anyone else. She began to roll her hips back into him, eager for release. He let out a low and throaty groan. He leaned into her, his back pressing against hers, and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.

He began pumping roughly into her, his fingers circling and brushing over her clit. She could feel her resistance bending to his will. A loud moan was bubbling within but his hand parted from her breast to cup over her mouth. She finally expressed her pleasure, undeterred by his hand. “Fuck, Klaus,” came muffling out.

“Do you want to come for me?” his hushed words shivered down her back. Caroline nodded against his palm rapidly, unable to produce more than a frustrated whine. His dark laugh was interrupted as she backed into him, a grunt taking its place.

His fingers quickened against her clit in time with the rhythm of his hips. A loud yell from the drawing room shot a shockwave through her just as his fingers stroked her purposefully. Her core tightened and she came tumbling down, raggedly moaning against his palm. He continued to ride through her wave of pleasure, rolling into her and delighting in her mewling. It wasn’t long before she felt him come inside of her, his warmth enveloping her.

Klaus slowly removed himself, his hand slipping from her mouth as she released a whine. They both took upon the same idea, the arguing in the drawing room seeming to hush, and pulled up their respective clothes. She turned around as he fiddled with his belt buckle, her stomach fluttering at the sight of his focused expression. He slowly lifted his head, raising an eyebrow at her stare.

“What?” he asked in amusement, his hands instinctively settling on her waist.

Caroline cleared her throat and shook her head. “N-nothing. You were very...adequate— I mean not that you’re—” She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. “You’re always very adequate— more than adequate— I—”

She was taken off guard when he kissed her. It wasn’t rough or swift. It was slow and gentle. Done with purpose. His fingers ghosted over her cheeks as she reciprocated. They didn’t kiss like this. It was clouding her reality. She was left cold when he parted but the chaste kiss against the corner of her lips prompted a thrum in her heart.

“I love you, Caroline,” he muttered, brushing his nose across hers.

Her lashes fluttered in surprise and her ability to speak became choked. “Wh—”

“Shall we get back to the game?”

“Oh— um—” She twisted her lips but nodded. His hand gestured out in front, a warm smile placed on his face. She took the lead, cautiously stepping across the room. When she reached the door frame, her fingers lingered on it.

“Are you alright, love?”

Caroline looked out into the hallway. Their friends’ argument had suddenly increased in volume once again. She turned to him slowly, her eyes lighting up when they met his bewildered expression. “Do you...maybe want to come back to mine?”

Klaus chuckled and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Always.”


	2. II

After last Halloween’s explosive game of scrabble—Klaus had been eager for a repeat—they opted to venture out this year. The Mystic Falls Council had splashed out on a rather audacious set up in the Square: a haunted house, apple bobbing, hay rides, and the ever exciting  _ spooky maze _ (pumpkins and skeletons weren’t exactly  _ spooky  _ to  _ them  _ but perhaps, a five-year old). They had all been content to stick to their usual plans but then Rebekah sent a five-hundred word rant on how _ terribly dull and ancient  _ they all were and that seemed to be enough to turn the tide. The compromise was to get tipsy at Bonnie’s house and arrive for the  _ adults only _ time at nine p.m. (an excuse for the PTA moms to get drunk on red wine somewhere other than their kitchens).

When they turned up at Bonnie’s house one after the other, they were greeted with narrowed eyes. They  _ could  _ have been a little less obvious than Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. They both insisted that their matching costumes were purely coincidental, that if they had known beforehand, they wouldn’t have dared to even consider the fairy tale. Kol, thankfully, pointed out a version in which Red Riding Hood  _ whips a pistol from her knickers, shoots the wolf and wears his fur like a Chanel coat  _ (his words, of course) and that lent enough room to distract from their coordination in favour of berating the younger Mikaelson. Drinks at Bonnie’s went smoothly, though a few jabs were thrown between them. Caroline did her best to maintain her composure when Klaus cornered her with the promise of tearing her costume off with his teeth later that night. It took all of her willpower not to feign illness in order to skip ahead.

The event in the Square, as anticipated, was underwhelming. So after thoroughly ribbing Rebekah for it, which she replied to with a flip of her middle finger, they all agreed to split up. Caroline had gone with Bonnie and Katherine for the first thirty minutes to keep up appearances. They attempted the dunk tank and managed to soak their high school teacher Mr. Saltzman — a satisfying revenge for his harsh marking and _dodgy_ political views. They eventually bumped into a bickering Klaus and Kol in front of a large stall. A pie eating contest, Kol told them with a challenging smile before complaining about Klaus’ unwillingness to compete. After much of Kol’s whining, Katherine and Bonnie agreed to participate in his stead. It was the perfect opportunity to slip away and the maze seemed the most fitting place to do so.

“I think we’re officially lost,” Caroline let out a huff as they reached another dead-end in the maze. She spun and her shimmery red costume tossed around her frame, gaining him that inch of extra skin he had been itching to see.

Klaus sauntered closer, grinning as she bumped in the rough hedge branches. He tilted his chin down and lowered his voice, “Oh are we?” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips; the taste of cherry schnapps was lingering in their mouths. He murmured against her lips, What a shame.”

She rolled her eyes but let her hands wander around the back of his neck nonetheless. “You  _ do  _ realise we’ll have to find our way out of here eventually, right?”

“And in the meantime…?” his tone lifted and his eyes sparkled as his fingers tugged at the string of her crimson cloak. He was quick to dive into her neck pressing rough kisses along the most sensitive areas he had previously made a note of.

She whimpered reflexively but promptly slapped him on the shoulder. He laughed through her admonishment, “You sneak! I knew you were taking us around in circles!” His forehead rested on her shoulder for a moment and his laugh vibrated through her. She waited until his eyes found hers to present him with a frown.

“Guilty as charged,” Klaus replied and flashed a toothy smile. His breath became heavy as he resumed kissing along her throat, the rough of his tongue tickling her skin. “Perhaps,” he managed out between each kiss, leaving her unable to restrain her vocalisations, “I was just looking for some more time alone.” His fingers made quick work of reaching under her dress and seemed to pause when feeling the intricate lace clinging to her slick core.

Her heartbeat picked up at the separation of fabric from her skin as he replaced it with his fingers. “I’m pretty sure you staying over at mine most nights is classed as enough alone time.” He spread her folds and tutted at the wet state of her. She bit her lip and whispered, “Right there…”

Klaus looked at her plainly for the longest moment, though his fingers ran along her slit. She prepared to twist her brows in confusion but he soon had her body curling inwards as he toyed with her clit tenderly. “In public,” he eventually corrected her, the words hissing into her ear. He then found her entrance, circling it for one slow, agonising second.

“Mhm,” slipped from her mouth unwillingly the moment he inserted his fingers. It took her a moment to gain a sense of reality but she finally argued back, “I wouldn’t consider a maze as  _ public _ , Klaus.” Her mouth fell open as he made contact with her g-spot. His lips brushed against her jaw before he quickened his pace. She sighed, “Oh my god…”

He pumped his fingers inside and out. She began to watch the corner exit of the dead-end almost obsessively, her breath quickening with every action of his. His thumb swiped across her clit and she pressed her lips before any moans could betray their  _ privacy _ . He kissed her roughly as he hit her spot again and asked her with much candidness, “What about outside of the maze?”

Caroline couldn’t retain her composure any longer and his question incited a shock that seemed to encourage it. She came around his fingers, a senseless gasp escaping her, “What?”

There was an overwash of cold; he had removed himself from her entirely in one, quick movement. He sighed heavily and reasoned, “Caroline, we’ve been doing this for a year now.” He paused to clean her off his fingers — she hated how casual he could make the action seem. “I meant what I said last month. Wouldn’t you rather we tell everyone?”

Of course she remembered. A man doesn’t just say the ‘L’ word and fade into obscurity. In fact, she was very thankful that he had been so patient not to expect it in return. He hadn’t pressed the issue nor even mentioned his confession since that day. It had given her a lot of time to think. There wasn’t really any question of whether. She knew. The issue was a little more...logistical.

“No!” burst forth from her stronger than she would have liked. She recognised the dash of hurt that tampered with his repose. Her fingers pressed firmly against her temples. “You know how they all are! I don’t want us to be like Elena and her drama with Stefan and Damon.”

He rolled his eyes, letting out a breath of frustration. He then joked bitterly, “Unless you’ve suddenly found yourself enamoured with Kol and his collection of Pokemon cards, I think we’ll be fine.”

Caroline didn’t laugh however. She bit the inside of her lip before declaring, “Okay, well, maybe I just don’t want to.” She stepped back on one foot and lifted her chin away from him.

“Why not?”

His question sounded so meek, so unlike him; she hated it. She twisted her lips and her eyes darted about. His eyes were hardening and it was too much for her to bear. “Because,” was the only thing that managed to come out after much thought.

His impatience was evident as his jaw tightened. “You know, usually, one is meant to follow that up with an explanation.”

“Fine,” she spit out, her hands gesturing wildly, “Because I love you!”

That seemed to quell his irritation. Klaus was left with his jaw hanging open and it offered such a short reprieve to their tension. His head pulled back and he squinted. “I don’t understand.”

She took a deep breath, trying to collect every thought before she let them tumble out, “I love you and I’m scared that if we make things official and people know about it, we’re just beginning a  _ countdown  _ to when it ends.”

Klaus’ features softened and he looked over her face with a small smile. “That won’t happen, sweetheart,” he assured her, gravitating closer with every beat.

Her heart was pounding all of a sudden. “How do you know?” she asked, resisting the urge to stamp her foot against the ground.

“ _ Because _ I love you,” he said vehemently, cupping her cheeks. The pads of his thumbs stroked along her skin and his eyes pleaded with her. “I’m aware that our parents aren’t exactly the best examples of marriages but I would argue we’re a lot different than them.”

Caroline’s throat swelled, her whole expression frozen as the realisation hit her. “You want to marry me?” she asked in such a tiny voice. Love was one thing, but marriage was such a different ball game, one that she had refused to consider since her parents’ divorce. But hearing it from his lips was such an enjoyable thing.

“Well,” he cleared his throat and glanced down, “only if you wanted to, of course.”

She let out a breath of amusement, shaking her head. “I’m not...totally against it,” she attempted nonchalance but was sure that the flush in her cheeks was betraying her.

Klaus’ expression turned devious as a grin spread across his face. “Might I say you look positively delicious tonight?”

She offered a dead look in return and folded her arms. “Expecting to get lucky?”

He stepped back for a moment and gestured to the rather ragged looking wolf attire she had picked out for him. “I don’t squeeze into ridiculous costumes for anyone, love,” he argued before pulling her in by the waist.

She was tempted to roll her eyes but opted to play along, tugging at the torn shirt around his chest. “My, what a big ego you have.”

He began to lean in for a kiss, softly growling, “The better to—”

Caroline’s face dropped all of a sudden. She smacked her palm to his mouth and said, “Shut up.” Though his scowl was strong, she was far too distracted to comfort him. “What’s that noise?” She wandered out of their little dead-end, her eyes squinting as she followed the curious sound.

Klaus shrugged and trailed behind, though with a much more reluctant pacing. “Probably nothing,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Number one line in a horror movie goes to…” she muttered to his indifference. There was an odd whine that caused them to exchange bewildered expressions. Still, she pressed on. She rounded the corner as she mused, “It sounds like—“ Her own words were choked out of existence as they came upon the sight. “Oh my god!”

“Rebekah!” Klaus exclaimed with the sanctimonious tone of a church-going grandmother (sans pearls to clutch, of course). Tucked away in an adjacent dead-end was the scene of Rebekah Mikaelson, her nurse outfit peeled open, letting a vampire-dressed Stefan ‘bite’ her neck.

Rebekah practically screamed when his voice boomed, scrambling to pull the flaps of her costume back over her chest, “Klaus!” Stefan shuffled rather cowardly away from her, clearing his throat and rolling his shoulders. Rebekah’s shock fell into confusion and she tilted her head to say, “Caroline?”

Caroline was preparing an array of excuses but Klaus’ voice overtook her as he stepped forward, “We, um, found each other in the maze.”

Rebekah’s bewilderment soon faded under a dead-eyed stare. “You have lipstick on your face,” she pointed out dully and her eyes travelled Caroline’s frame before she added, “and your dress is caught in your knickers.”

Well, fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **COMMENTS ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED**
> 
> **Happy birthday, Erica!**


End file.
